Because It's You
by Lost Skies
Summary: What if Dr. Jang had been alive? What if back-up for Choi Young had arrived in time? Just what if High Doctor, Eun Soo, didn't waver in returning to Goryeo to save and be with the General she loved while carrying strengthened faith in his survival? Had these factors been available, she could have returned sooner to Choi Young, and the ending to their love could have been different.
1. A Different Ending

**A/N: While I thought the original ending to Faith was meaningful and satisfying, I still felt as though there was still a bit to be desired. So, I've decided to see what would have happened if the story had taken a twist, and that includes Dr. Jang's survival. Again, I appreciated the original ending, but I wanted to create a twist where Eun Soo didn't waver in returning to Goryeo, and where there were several factors that contributed to this ending. I also wanted to explore their love without forcing them to be a part for five years. Again, the original ending was meaningful, I know this, but I felt like forcing them away for so long was just torture, so here's my twist on the story. Hopefully it's enjoyable to those who read it. And hopefully the character's portrayals are correct in some way or form.**

* * *

"Choi Young!"

She was being dragged away forcibly from _that person_ —the man she loved—by _that bastard_ , Gi Cheol. That person—the one she thought of so fondly—was left paralyzed on the ground, dying slowly before her eyes. It was possible to save that man, had she been given the chance. She struggled in the grasp of Gi Cheol who was clearly far too strong for her to just break free. Tears sprung in her eyes, threatening to spill as she tried to pull away from that _monster_ who resided in a human body. She refused to believe that people like him existed. As she was being dragged away against her will, she caught a glimpse of someone familiar riding a horse in the distance, towards Choi Young's unmoving body. Hope flooded over her body as she recognized the man on the horse.

 _Doctor Jang!_

Her lips curved into a sad smile at the sight of the man jumping off his horse beside Choi Young, glancing in her direction though as if he had to decide who to save. But by the expression she wore, she made it clear that it be Choi Young. As long as he was saved, that's all she needed in order to be truly relieved. The hand around her wrist tightened, almost threatening to shatter her wrist from the mere strength.

"Let go!" Soon enough, she was nearing the portal, still unable to break free from the tight grasp. _If.. If I don't break free, I'll really go through.._ She screwed her eyes shut, begged to someone— _anyone_ —to save _them_ from this torture. Suddenly, she came to an abrupt stop directly behind Gi Cheol, and as she peered up with teary eyes, she saw the Suribang boys surrounding the _monster_. She referred to Gi Cheol as a monster simply because that is exactly what he was; someone who could easily harm others for his own greed.. It sickened her. But remembering the battle between Gi Cheol and Choi Young, she knew that they wouldn't be able to take him on fully. As she watched the two of the three boys slowly approach Gi Cheol, weapons by their side as they prepared to initiate their attack, Eun Soo's hand began to freeze up. Her watery gaze drifted from the boys before them to where Gi Cheol held on tightly to her hand. His own hand began to freeze up, and she could feel it. Suddenly she glanced up once Gi Cheol began to tense up in anger and grit his teeth.

"Out of my way!"

The Suribang boys looked as though they were ready to attack, with their archer feet behind them in case Gi Cheol decided to try anything. But Eun Soo moved her lips to say "No" so that they wouldn't face the same fate as Choi Young.

 _Choi Young.._

Her chest began to swell up and ache at the thought of him dying. She could save him, with or without her own medical supplies. But a part of her felt as though those supplies would be needed in the near future. She couldn't waste any time. Recalling the weapon she carried on her, she slowly began to reach for it, doing her best not to grab his attention. Finally, before she could even react properly, one of the Suribang boys, the one with the spear, launched himself directly at Gi Cheol in an attempt to harm him with his weapon. However, Gi Cheol reacted just as fast. He flung Eun Soo against the ground as he gave a surprisingly quick step to the side, his hand snapping forward to wrap around his neck. The other Suribang boy, the one quick with the sword, also lunged forward to slash his blade across his back. Eun Soo took this advantage to run off past the Suribang archer and into the portal.

* * *

"Choi Young," came a voice, calling for him.

With eyes closed, he remained utterly silent, unable to move or speak. No matter how much he wanted to get up to protect _his_ woman, he couldn't find the strength. Almost as if it had all disappeared. Almost as though the weight of his sword finally crushed him. He found it hard to breathe. It was just warrior Choi Young and his slipping consciousness. He did his best to keep conscious, so that his own life wouldn't slip away. The reason he couldn't find the strength to get up was because he was focusing most of it into _remaining alive_ ; for Eun Soo, who he..

 _Who I..?_

Lost in the thoughts of his own consciousness, Choi Young could faintly recall his memories with _that person_. It was what kept him going for the most part. Long ago, Choi Young would have given up his life so easily, but now he was fighting harder than ever before to just remain alive— _breathing_ —so that he could see the light of day again. Just so that he could see her smiling face. But where did things go wrong? How could he fail to defeat someone without trying hard enough?

 _High doctor.._

He breathed out, finding it harder and harder to breathe every second. He couldn't feel for the most part, nor move. All he could do was listen to the noise around him and cling to life desperately. It was the only thing left he could do. But deep down, he knew it. He saw _that person_ being taken away before his eyes. She would be unable to save him if she were in the hands of that man.

 _I failed to protect you.._

 _And now.. I'm going to die, aren't I?_

He suddenly began to wonder if those dreams ever existed—those dreams of being together with _that person_. Or was it all to end so soon? Did he fail to realize those words his father left behind?

* * *

She couldn't remember every detail of that moment. All she could remember was rushing through the building, grabbing supplies she needed for Goryeo. She grabbed many things, and almost anything that seemed important. She ran through the halls, maneuvering past people with urgency. _That person_ was on the verge of dying and she couldn't spare any second waiting around. Why did this have to happen? She found herself asking the same question over and over, as if she didn't understand the meaning behind the incident. But she knew that deep down, she was prepared to leave behind everything in this world, all for the opportunity to save Choi Young. She couldn't allow herself to fail. Failure was not an option. Not this time.

Why did they both have to face this torture? What led them to this very incident that couldn't be prevented?

 _To say goodbye to my parents.._

They had only been in that situation because he told her to say goodbye to those she would miss. Was it because that she had been so greedy that she had to suffer losing one over the other? That if she wanted to see her parents one last time, Choi Young had to be that ultimate sacrifice? Had she told him that she didn't need to bid farewell, he wouldn't have had to face off against Gi Cheol who was clearly waiting for the moment of their arrival. This was _her_ mistake. As she shoved a bunch of more medical supplies into the bag she "borrowed" without permission, she raced back to the front entrance, running right into a fellow nurse friend of hers; the one who introduced Eun Soo to the reporters that ambushed her on her return. Well, not necessarily friend, but a colleague; one who knew her quite well, not personally, though. This may have been very well her last chance for farewells, but she wasn't about to choose someone living over someone dying.

"Dr. Eun Soo, where have you been? I just called the police and told them you returned. They've been searching for you and that.. that crazy man—" she began before Eun Soo interrupted her.

"Tell my parents goodbye," said Eun Soo suddenly.

"What..?" responded her colleague, obviously bewildered by the request. "Goodbye..? What are you getting at, and why are you leaving again? Are you out of your mind, you were just kidnapped! Or.. are you being held hostage and he's forcing you to leave?"

"I don't have time to waste!" responded Eun Soo as she placed a hand on her colleague's shoulder, giving her a firm look as if to confirm she meant it. "Tell them goodbye, and not to worry.. I've.. I've found happiness somewhere else. So please.. Tell my parents that, and tell them not to bother looking for me." Before her colleague could respond, she dropped her hand from her shoulder and brushed past her, sprinting out the doors and towards the portal once more while leaving the poor nurse in complete confusion. By the time Eun Soo reached the portal, it was time to make a decision: to remain in her current world, where it was safer and held people she cared about, or to really leave it in exchange for the dangerous life of the Goryeo time period? Choi Young's survival was not confirmed. If she planned to really leave and come across the fact that she was unable to save him, then she would be trapped heartbroken in a time period that would haunt her forever.

Eun Soo didn't even need a second to consider. Without looking back—and with unwavering faith and a longing heart—she stepped right into the mystical portal that would take her back to the general she loved, Choi Young. Within a second of stepping through the portal, she arrived at her destination and walked right on out. She noticed a limp body near the entrance, bloody and frozen.

 _Gi Cheol.._

She closed her eyes momentarily as she strolled past his body, and her eyelids reopened. From the distance, she saw Doctor Jang attending to Choi Young, and with great speed, Eun Soo raced through the field towards the tree where she had been forced to leave him. Her heart began to pick up the pace at the mere thought that he was close to death. She didn't want to lose him—she wasn't going to lose him. From the very beginning, she declared that she would _never_ let him die.

 _Never._

Within seconds, she reached Choi Young, who lay practically lifeless in the field. The Suribang boys watched with displeasure at the sight of the man whom they were especially fond of, and Doctor Jang moved aside a little bit to give her room, but also to provide assistance if necessary.

"I'm not going to let you die," she whispered as she dropped the bag of supplies beside her. "Never. Not as long as I am here with you."

* * *

' _I'm not going to let you die. Never. Not as long as I am here with you..'_

That voice.. those words.. echoed throughout his mind. His eyelids snapped open once he came to his senses, and he forced himself upwards, grimacing though at the slight pain in his chest from the sudden movement.

"Don't move. You need to rest," spoke a voice nearby.

Glancing over at the table beside the bed he rested on, he spotted Eun Soo. She looked tired, with noticeable bags under her eyes and somewhat messy hair. Almost as if she had been fighting a battle. This raised slight suspicion, only because Choi Young could vaguely recall what happened. Until he remembered the battle with Gi Cheol, and Eun Soo being dragged away. She began to help him lay back down, and though he wanted to fight against it and remain sitting, he was frankly too tired to even fight against the High Doctor. "Imja.. You're.." He didn't want to say it. Despite it being a false concern, he was really.. afraid when he saw her being dragged away. For another time in his life, he had felt utterly helpless. First towards his Master, then to his previous beloved, and now to the doctor he currently loved. It had seemed as though he were really, truly incompetent to help anyone he cared about truly. "..You're here."

"Mhmm. And so are you." Eun Soo smiled slightly at him.

There was a silence between them. It wasn't uncomfortable, nor was it unsettling. Instead, it was peaceful. Finally, Choi Young was the one who broke it. "What.. what happened?" he questioned quietly, closing his eyes.

There was no response.

"..Imja?" One eyelid fluttered open to peer over at the High Doctor. But all he could see was her saddened frown and teary eyes—something she had been clearly holding back for some time. One hand went to clasp over her mouth as if to muffle to sobs that dared to leave. But even then, a single tear did not fall nor did she make a single sound. Choi Young opened both his eyes, forced himself up into a sitting position and forced himself to endure the pain, if for a little while. He turned to face her, staring at her once more. "Imja, why are you crying?"

"I—I'm not.. crying.." she objected in a sorrowful tone, averting her gaze for a few seconds. "I.. I was afraid.."

"Imja? Afraid?" repeated Choi Young questionably, but also with great concern that he didn't express. "Why?"

He should have known the answer.

"I.. was afraid you weren't going to wake up.." she replied, clearing her throat. "The.. last time you were in a near-death state, you wouldn't wake up.."

He finally understood it. Choi Young also realized that he had caused _that person_ to cry again. He caused her to worry over his condition. He forced her to suffer through it all alone, with no sign that he would be waking up. Quickly, he leaned forward and grabbed a hold of her available wrist. Then without words or warnings, he yanked her—gently—right into his lap to pull her into a tight embrace. With his arms now wrapped around her, and despite the stinging sensation in his chest from sudden movements, he held her closely against him, clearing his own throat.

"Imja.. I was also worried that I would not see you again.." he told her quietly in her ear.

She screwed her eyes shut as tears slid down her cheeks, inhaling sharply while releasing a brief sob. "I was really afraid to lose you.."

"..If imja was afraid to lose me, what made you come back by my side?" Choi Young suddenly questioned her, tightening his grip around her a little bit. ".If I was really close to.. death.. then why did imja return? You should have stayed in the world of Heaven if that had been the case. Why did you take the risk?"

Now, Eun Soo pulled away a bit, wiping her eyes with the back of her palm. "I had _faith_ that I could save you. I had faith that you would survive," she responded quietly yet earnestly. "I told you that I wanted to remain here with you.."

 _Imja longed to return to me?_

"I was only afraid, not because I lost my faith, but because waiting distressed me. I wanted you to wake up with positive results as soon as possible," she told him.

Choi Young simply took her hands into his, as a gesture of his thanks and gratefulness towards her growing faith. After giving them a light squeeze, he made direct eye contact with her once more. "And.. your family?" That was the whole reason behind returning to the portal. In return for her stay in Goryeo, he agreed to take her to the portal to bid farewell to those she loved and protect her; although, he ended up failing.

"Imja.." He felt the _need_ to apologize, though he couldn't find a way to just simply say it. Finally, he decided in how to go about it, and that was to be the simplest way possible. "..I'm sorry."

Suddenly, Eun Soo slipped her arms around his neck and pressed her face into his neck. "Don't ever be reckless like that again, you hear me? As your doctor, you need to listen to me.. Okay?"

Choi Young allowed a smile—for once—to slip onto his features while he wrapped his arms back around her. He—with uncertainty—rested his chin atop her head, making a new promise to the woman he grew to love, "I promise to be more careful."

And while he was well aware of the presence of Deokman and Oh Dae Man, who were watching with amusement, he decided to—just this once—ignore them and enjoy the sweet embrace he shared with the High Doctor, whom he would now share his future with. After all, he now had a real and earnest reason to survive.

* * *

 **A/N: Your thoughts?**


	2. Sorrow

**A/N: Chapter Two is here! Like my other two stories, I will respond to reviews in the A/N.**

 **Onto reviews; I'm glad you loved it! And yes, sorry about that, but I did fix it! Thank you for telling me! Overall though, I'm glad you enjoyed it (faithling)!**

 **Onto business; This chapter took a while due to busy schedule and other factors, but it was enjoyable to write. It is slow, I will admit, and it may be confusing-this includes Choi Young's part. If you have any confusion, let me know, and I will clear it up. Ask questions as well, and I will answer. But enjoy, and feedback is greatly appreciated! Let me know what you thought.**

* * *

"You should rest," murmured a voice behind her.

The voice didn't scare her nor worry her. Doctor Eun Soo felt safe for once, strangely enough. Perhaps it was because the calm had finally arrived. Gi-Cheol and his pledged brothers and sister were now officially deceased. In better terms, they were dead. Killed without hesitation or mercy. She already witnessed the deaths of Gi-Cheol's two pledged brothers, and from Dae Man's stories, his pledged sister collapsed from being stabbed in the back by Lady Choi. She ended up dying alone, without even a glimpse of either of her siblings before her unexpected death. To Eun Soo, they were temporarily safe from the monstrous Prince of the Court. But despite their deaths and her newly found "freedom," Eun Soo couldn't help but feel awful.

"I don't need rest," came her short response. She was currently sitting in a chair next to Choi Young's bedside. He had been asleep for a while now, only waking up to receive water and food daily to help with the recovery. How many days had it been? Several days since everything went down, and a few from when they had a real chance to speak. But since that day, and for every time he woke up, she kept the talking at a minimum. More than anything else, she wanted Choi Young to rest up as much as he could so that he would recover more quickly. Eun Soo was desperate to see him working again. If he could regain his energy and strength to fight, then that meant everything would be okay again. And to see this through, Eun Soo relayed the message to Lady Choi to give to the King, which she did without question. And he seemed to understand, seeing as he didn't try relaying any other message back.

 _He's grown to be patient…_

A small smile curved Eun Soo's lips. Out of nowhere, a hand was placed on her shoulder. She shifted her exhausted gaze over at Doctor Jang who stood beside her, looking as calm as ever with his other arm folded behind his back. Despite his blank expression, she knew he was going to be persistent.

"Your eyes say otherwise," he told her in response to her previous statement. "It's clear you are exhausted, High Doctor. Please, rest, and I will watch over the General in your place." When it seemed as though she were about to object and start arguing, he went on, "If you were to pass out from exhaustion, you will be helpless to the General."

He was right. Reluctantly, Eun Soo sighed heavily before nodding her head in agreement. As she forced herself out of her seat, she kept her gaze lowered as concern flooded over her. Just as she moved past Doctor Jang without a word, he spoke up again.

"Don't worry. If something comes up, I'll inform you."

His reassurance was comforting. If she could trust anyone in this unusual place in Goryeo, it would be a fellow Doctor who shared similar ideals. A part of her wanted to ask questions, to talk to him about certain things, but her mind was far too exhausted for her to even want to bother. Instead, she flashed him a brief and small smile before turning away once more. Despite Doctor Jang's encouragement to rest, she still knew it would be difficult to do exactly that. Resting while someone else was in dire need of _her_ help did not sit well for her, and she definitely didn't want to try sleeping on those types of thoughts. Instead, she left the barracks she shared with Choi Young and made her way outside where she was met immediately with a fresh gust of air. On her way out, she was met with several guards who did nothing— _said nothing_ —but watch her with sympathy, curiosity, and faith. It wasn't one, but all three. She could see it in their eyes as she walked by.

The sympathy was for having to struggle with the obvious-by-now love of her life being close to death. The curiosity was clearly the wonder of whether or not their General would survive through this—which he would, but because his case was extremely critical, they were unsure. And the faith—that beautiful faith that held everything together—was the belief that _she_ , High Doctor Eun Soo, could save the life of their general one way or another. Even if it meant resorting to CPR, which they knew little about. What they did know was that Eun Soo had power in her hands—an extraordinary power to save lives, even if it seemed impossible. How they could have that sort of faith in her was beyond her. If anything, she, too, had faith in herself. But she also had that small doubt that she could have failed. It's possible she could still fail.

 _No_ , she told herself quietly, _you will not fail. You can do it. If you can save the life of the Queen, you can save his life too. No matter what, I made that promise; both as a doctor that's devoted to saving lives, and as a lover that is determined to protect._

That was her resolve in the end. To save and protect. Choi Young promised, that if she stayed beside him, he would do the exact same thing. Little did he expect her to return the sweet gesture. He probably didn't even know she was going to go through with this resolve, or that she even thought it up. But he would definitely be surprised when he woke up.

 _If he wakes up.._

At the thought, she shook her head.

 _No! He will wake up! This is not like the past where he didn't have a reason to live. He's more persistent to live now. He will wake up.. He will wake up… He will wake up.._

After strolling around the outskirts of the barracks, she found herself nearby their meeting place. Where they said they would meet up and discuss the end of their day. She had wanted to go through with that plan, it was an idea to get closer to him. But now she no longer needed to go through with it, since she began staying in his room. No matter how hard she tried to relax her mind from the stress, her thoughts kept returning to that _cursed_ man. Choi Young. It was as if she couldn't keep from thinking about him.

 _Why?_

 _Is it because I.._

"No. No, no, no. That is not the reason! It's all simple! Plain and simple. I keep thinking about him because he's hurt and… and I'm a doctor, right? So I need to be worried! He's my patient, and if he dies on me.." she began mumbling to herself, pacing and back and forth along the pathway as she folded her arms across her chest. She wouldn't dare think about that again. Or like that. She slapped both palms of her hands across her face, hiding behind it in frustration. "I will not.. think like that.."

"Think.. Think like w-what?" asked a voice above her.

Eun Soo jumped at the sudden interruption. Above her, on top of the roof, she saw Dae Man's head peeking down at her. She almost had the urge to scream in surprise, but she didn't. By now, she grew too used to these types of acts. Back at home, in current Korea, she would never see something unrealistic as Dae Man.

"..Nothing," she replied quickly before glancing away momentarily. After a few seconds, she rested her gaze back on the younger soldier before smiling a bit. "And just what are you up to, watching people and popping out of nowhere?" she scolded.

He jumped down from the roof, landing before her in a crouching position. Then he stood up. "I.. I was, uh.." He shifted nervously in front of her, parting his lips several times as he tried to find the right words to speak. Eun Soo already knew his stuttering problem well, but that didn't mean she couldn't understand him any less. Instead, she remained patient with the boy who grew up differently from everyone else. Finally, he found the words he wanted to say, but they did not come without a stammer. "I was w-watching over, uh, you.. High Doctor.."

Her gaze softened at his words. She, again, smiled softly at him, though it wasn't a hundred percent sincere. Not because she didn't appreciate what he was doing, but because she was just a bit sad. Sad for reasons she didn't know. But instead of telling him a sob story, she thanked him for the gesture.

"Thank you, Dae Man. I'm grateful that you would look out for me," she told him.

But it seemed as though that wasn't all. He nodded his head rapidly, scratching behind his head when he spoke up again in a nervous and stuttering manner, "Is, uh.. Is general going to be.. be okay?"

It should have been clear that this is what he wanted to know from the start. He was closest to Choi Young, more so than any other Woodalchi. And it made her sad to consider how the young Woodalchi felt. To come close to losing someone so close. She closed her eyes momentarily, clearing her throat and chest of any emotions that she felt flooding over her. Within a few seconds, she reopened her eyes and smiled brightly at the Woodalchi.

"He's going to be better than okay!" she told him enthusiastically. "When he wakes up, he'll be as good as new. I'll make sure of it, since he's my patient!"

This earned a tiny smile from Dae Man as he listened to her reassuring words. "I hope h-he wakes up soon, uh, then..!"

"Dae Man!" a stern voice called out from within the barracks. Eun Soo recognized it as the voice of one of the Woodalchi soldiers. It seemed as though their little chit chat was cut short, but no further words were necessary it seemed. By his expression, it was clear he was happy; with the grin that curved his lips and the reassurance that gleamed in his dark eyes. His features no longer led her to believing that he was sad or worried, but instead that he was filled with great relief. And it brought some relief to her as well to see how much of an impact she and her words had on others. She didn't need to lie either, because she knew that Choi Young would be refreshed, with less worries burdening him. She had faith in his return. Within seconds, Dae Man bowed to Eun Soo in gratefulness and respect, only then sprinting off towards where he was being summoned.

After being left alone once more, Eun Soo found herself standing alone in silence now. She took this chance to listen to the blowing wind, the chirping of birds, even the footsteps of nearby Woodalchi who were presumably on duty. The silence was welcoming for once. But that still didn't help her with resting. Instead, she slumped against the scarlet fence and rested the back of her head against it. She closed her eyes slowly, feeling some of her exhaustion run through her body. But despite the urge to rest for once and all, her thoughts kept trailing back to not just Choi Young, but the sorrow in her heart; the _ache_ in her chest.

The sorrow was there because despite being enemies with the Prince of the Court, his death was strangely saddening. This only angered Eun Soo. After having been through great trouble because of him, and after almost losing the man she cared about, she still felt _sad_ for him. She couldn't understand why. It didn't make sense to pity a _monster_ such as him. But for some reason, her heart disregarded the horror she went through because of him and his pledged siblings. Her heart decided to feel sad for him, for some peculiar reason. And as she thought more about it, she found herself further from understanding.

"Why.. Why, why, why.." she whispered to herself as she finally drifted off into sleep.

* * *

Throughout his not-so-peaceful sleep, Choi Young often found himself longing to wake up. But he couldn't. His body refused to obey his deepest desires and wishes. He _wanted_ to wake up, not remain asleep. He wished to open his eyes, but his eyes remained closed. He _desired_ to hold _that person_ in his arms, but she was nowhere to be seen in his conscious mind. In the world his conscious mind generated, she was nowhere to be found. He couldn't even remember her face or her name. All he knew was that she— _that person_ —was important to him. He could search and search every inch of his "dream" world, and he would only be met with dead ends.

He met with the Suribang gang, who teased and messed with him relentlessly. He also met with villagers who didn't even know his name. His face was unknown to them—not that he was surprised. Barely anyone recognized him. And during his travels within his conscious mind, which turned out to be a replica of Goryeo, he came to meet some of the fallen Woodalchi warriors. As he passed by them to greet them or ask them questions about the mysterious woman haunting him, he noticed something different about them. All of them—all of those who passed—weren't the clean warriors he once knew. They were bruised, beaten, broken, and bloody. They were a horrifying mess. He recognized many, and especially the one who helped his return to the King when he was falsely accused. A dreadful feeling passed through Choi Young as he stopped in his tracks to face the fallen Woodalchi. The ones he failed to save. The ones who lost their lives when he should have been the one to lose his. He cleared his throat, parting his lips slightly as if there were words to say. But none came out. He couldn't bring himself to say anything, nor did he know what to say to the men who died bravely. Finally, he spoke to them.

"I'm sorry," was all he said to the fallen warriors. It was all he _could_ say. What more could he say to the dead? Nothing would make up for their unnecessary deaths.

 _No.. They weren't unnecessary, nor did they die in vain. They died in honor and courageously. They died in battle protecting our King. There is nothing to apologize for about that. But what I do need to apologize about is my failure to help make a stand._

"I'm sorry," he repeated, finally making eye contact with the dead in front of him. His arms were by his sides as he remained utterly still. "I'm sorry for being unable to be by your sides when you fell those days. I was incapable of defending you all, including the King. I left you all trapped and alone. But you all died with honor, and I am.." Choi Young cleared his throat as he spoke words he rarely said, "I am proud of you all who fought bravely under our King. Your deaths weren't in vain, nor were they unnecessary. You all did exceptionally well.." These words were sincere, and Choi Young spoke them with great pride in his comrades; both fallen and alive. It was rare for the Captain to show such emotion, but he also felt it necessary. To be able to see his fallen comrades, even if they weren't real, was a blessing. It was a chance to speak the words he was unable to say to them. Perhaps they would receive his messages. Or maybe they wouldn't. But either way, real or not, they were standing right in front of their General, looking lifeless and brutally killed; the way their corpses were when they fell in battle. But after Choi Young bowed in respect and gratitude to his fellow comrades, he found himself staring at the same exact comrades who were killed, only that now they were glowing with life. They now appeared the way they were before their deaths; looking alive and well. Just as he had last seen them..

And before he knew it, the glow surrounding them grew brighter. Brighter to the point Choi Young had to shield his eyes with his forearm, but even as he did so, he caught a glimpse of his old comrades fading away. Almost as if they weren't even there to begin with. Once they all faded away, Choi Young lowered his arm, blinking slowly as he scanned the area to confirm their departure. Confirming that, Choi Young glanced around slowly. Unlike before when he held a dreadful feeling in his chest, his chest now felt...lighter than before.

 _As if a burden was taken off._

 _I hope they're finally at peace._

Now brushing off those thoughts, Choi Young decided to move on and return to his search. He wasn't about to forget his current mission:

Find _her_ — _that person_ —and remember her face, her name; everything. And eventually wake up to reality. Unlike before when he once never wanted to wake up, he now felt the strong desire to return to his world where he promised to survive and protect _her_.

* * *

 **A/N: Your thoughts?**


	3. Who is that person?

**A/N: Finally, chapter three is here! Thanks for waiting!**

 **Onto reviews: Thank you for being patient, and I'm glad you enjoyed it (minosunie)! Sorry for the late update, but thank you! Glad it has caught your interest :) (Guest)!**

 **Onto business: This chapter took longer than I could imagine; not because it's long, but because I've been busy. And unable to get past a certain point. I have to say, this is sadly not the most interesting chapter, so I want to apologize ahead of time for that! But other than that, I did research on the clothing in the Goryeo era (or tried to) and I hope it's mostly accurate; I'm sorry for mistakes, again. But thank you to all those who were patient with me, and decide to continue reading this story! If there is any confusion, don't hesitate in asking questions, and please enjoy!**

* * *

He couldn't understand why he didn't remember her of all people. He felt that _she_ was important—or rather, he knew _that person_ was important to him. But he could not remember her name, nor her face; he remembered absolutely nothing. All except that he felt strongly about her—that if he didn't find out who she was, he would ultimately lose sight of everything. That was _why_ he needed to find her.

Strolling through a village of Goryeo, Choi Young scanned the area around him; searching, observing—just to figure out who he was looking for. Along his walk through the village, he stumbled into many villagers who simply got in his path— _in his way_ —and prevented him from making any progress through his journey. He didn't even know _where_ he was heading. The general couldn't understand why his memory of Goryeo was picture perfect; everything was in perfect detail—even the people who he associated himself with. He could recall people who mattered less to him more easily than _that person_ who he could not remember. In his dreamlike state, he couldn't begin to fathom why he couldn't remember her or recall any of their memories together. If she really was as important as he led himself to believe—as his dream depicted her significance—then why was it he had to search relentlessly for her? How could he even be sure that she existed in his dream world, or that she existed at all?

 _Because I know it.. I cannot help this heavy feeling in my heart_ — _it really does weigh me down. It's urgent I find her before.._

 _..Before…?_

With a frustrated sigh, Choi Young pushed through villagers that still got in his way. Now he wasn't going to wait any longer, nor was he going to simply maneuver past them. Right now, finding her was more important than anything else. For some reason he couldn't recall, he just couldn't waste time. It was either find her or lose everything. The second choice wasn't very pleasing either. He already lost a lot—including the love of his life. The woman that he planned to marry. His _fiancée_. But despite this knowledge of her being deceased, the pain he once felt no longer carried the heavy impact it did. What he lost in the past was important, however, it carried little significance to his life now. But why?

He couldn't understand it. If anything, he was only confusing himself. And the blanks in his memory didn't help any. They only made the situation worse for him. The last thing a person needed— _a general in particular_ —was blanks in their memory. It would only set them up for mistakes and dig a deeper grave than the ones they were already in. Choi Young—his grave was undeniably deep. With the blood on his hands and the souls of the dead that clung to his back, he would not be able to rest peacefully. Choi Young would undoubtedly be haunted by those memories of battle his entire life, up until his very death. But strangely, after meeting with the deceased Woodalchi, Choi Young was able to feel a bit more at ease. Of course, he still felt the heavy burden on his shoulders, but the weight was lifted a little bit; enough for the general to be able to continue on his journey through life without any regrets.

It was a life he was fated to live.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the unusual color of reddish-brown pass by in the distance. He discarded what thoughts his mind carried and snapped his attention to where he saw that particular auburn color. From where he stood, he saw the strange woman wearing odd clothing. It wasn't the traditional cloth that villagers wore, but something much more different from what he was used to. She was simply dressed all in white, wearing what he assumed to be a new, white jeogori with a bit of blue fabric beneath it. While it looked like the jeogori—which was typically worn by all women—it was styled differently; almost inappropriately. It wasn't how it was supposed to be worn traditionally, as far as Choi Young could see. And not only that, but the jeogori was not accompanied by the chima, which was the bottom half of the outfit, but rather something different. _Something_ typically worn by men, and worn by woman on the inside of their chima—it was baji. But she— _this person_ —wore it with no shame whatsoever, nor with any concern from the suspicion she may have raised by dressing differently. And it was not baggy either, as he'd normally seen with most baji. He couldn't seem to describe her garments correctly. He _was_ suspicious. Despite being unable to get a clear view of her face due to the moving villagers, he felt _drawn_ to her.

Before he knew it, _that person_ began to leave. She spun around, rushing off through the crowd of people as if she were trying to _escape_. Choi Young couldn't help but follow her, and simply followed his deepest urges. He moved past people, bumping into the villagers who got in his way. However, despite his attempts to follow her, she disappeared from his sights. He was left alone, without any trace of that auburn-haired woman.

 _Where could she have gone..?_

He searched relentlessly, strolling and wandering around the village market; even going as far as to look through the stalls of several villagers to uncover her hiding spot, if she did happen to go into hiding. For some reason, he couldn't help but feel as if she were trying to run away from him. As if she were trying to escape him, for some strange reason—one that Choi Young could not bring himself to understand or remember. Despite her familiarity, he couldn't recall much. That was what he couldn't come to understand: how could one feel so _captivated_ by a person they could not remember—or even bring themself to recall? Surely, if one was forgotten in the past, they weren't even significant in the first place. But that still did not stop Choi Young from searching.

 _Where did that person go?_

He searched for what felt like countless hours. He wandered around the village, looking through stalls, peering to every corner, only to find the regular villagers staring at him as if he were odd. Choi Young could not begin to count the amount of times he ran into the same villagers over and over, but still he was unable to catch a second sight of _her_ —that person. It didn't make sense; how could she disappear off the face of the land, known as Goryeo? It not only troubled him, but it also sent his calm mind into curiosity; one he could not control.

"This doesn't make sense.." he muttered half to himself, finally coming to a halt as his eyes scoured the village one final time. It would be pointless to keep searching—

Out of nowhere, Choi Young felt a much smaller body bump into his; causing him to step forward.

"A—ah, sorry!" came a soft apology, almost quiet. Like the voice of an unsure woman. "I mean, you should be careful, too. But, sorry.." The second apology sounded different from the first; it sounded as though it were the futile attempt of someone to deepen their voice. Like the aim was to sound like a man.

This once again caught Choi Young's lingering curiosity, seeing as he turned his head to figure out who this stranger was. The stranger took a step back, shielding their face from anyone's sight with their satgat—the straw-like hat worn commonly by farmers and monks. However, Choi Young was well aware of suspicious figures who also happened to wear that type of accessory; especially those who used it to cover their faces from others. Had one not wanted to appear suspicious to someone such as the General of the Woodalchi, then they should have held back from hiding their face. Choi Young finally turned his body so he could face the suspicious figure, still hiding their face with the straw hat. He could tell how tense they were, by the way their grip on their hat tightened.

"Who are you?" It was a simple question; one that Choi Young didn't expect an answer to. Instead of waiting for an answer, his hand lunged out immediately to yank the straw hat off the stranger's head. Upon doing so, the stranger beneath the hat flinched slightly.

"H—hey!" _A female?_ "Talk about rude!"

Choi Young's eyes settled on the female. Her auburn hair was tied up into a bun, however, even with her abnormal hair color, her style of clothing proved her to be a simple villager now—with the exception that she tried to play herself off as a man. Despite his facial features remaining calm, Choi Young was unable to keep from feeling a little surprised. _It's her_.. That person he was searching for this whole time. He caught a glimpse of her face and something in his mind told him that this person was _the one_ ; but what did that even mean for him? Another sense of familiarity flooded over him and Choi Young found himself wanting to ask her again, who she was. But it was too late, seeing as just the mere appearance of her distracted him. Through the pause he took to control his distracting thoughts, the young female lunged forward and snatched the straw hat back. And before Choi Young could calculate her next movements—something he was normally able to do—she sprinted off past him; clutching the straw hat tightly in her hands.

"Halt!" shouted Choi Young, turning to run after her. The armor he wore only made it that much more difficult to try and beat her fast speed; she was already a few feet ahead of him. Strands of reddish-brown hair that was tied up in a loose bun began to fall out due to her hasty movements. She probably didn't plan to make a run for it. "Why won't you listen to me?" That question was a bit startling; normally he wouldn't ask such a peculiar question. After all, a suspicious figure had no reason to listen to him. But for some reason, a part of him deep down inside had _hoped_ that she would listen to him. "Why are you running?!" Despite the effort he put towards catching up with her, she was easily able to outrun him now. She maneuvered past villagers—ones he ultimately shoved aside once he came by—and ducked through stalls.

The chase lasted for what felt like _forever_ ; but neither of them gave up. She seemed determined to outrun the General, but Choi Young was also very persistent; he lost her once, he wasn't going to lose her a second time. There were questions he needed to ask, information he wanted to figure out, memories he longed to recall. He just had to fill in as much of the blanks as possible. Was it possible? Was any of this possible? Or perhaps he was keeping false hope in his heart. For what reason? What was the point in chasing this person in his conscious mind if he were to wake up eventually?

 _But why wake up..? What's the point if I'm trapped as the King's possession? I'm a General, nothing more, isn't that right?_

That's why finding out about her— _that person_ —was important for Choi Young. This was his one chance to find answers, find out why it was important to continue living his life as a General under the King. It would help him find the point in it all The chase led Choi Young to the district belonging to none other than Prince of the Court. Being far ahead of him, she was able to slip in past the numerous soldiers surrounding the area, but Choi Young slowed to a stop. Would he have to fight in his dreams, too? It was beginning to feel a little less than peaceful. With the addition of the disturbing images of his old comrades, Choi Young began to believe that this was something closer to a _nightmare_ than a dream. There had to be some purpose to these encounters within his mind and conscious. There just had to be. Choi Young remained utterly still, watching the soldiers patrol the boundaries of Gi Cheol's court.

Pressing a hand to the hilt of his sword, Choi Young cautiously approached Gi Cheol's home and the soldiers patrolling the area. As he reached the steps, Choi Young spoke up with the courage he carried deep within. He wasn't afraid of anything; there was no reason to be afraid. "Where is Gi Cheol?" The question was asked with respect, as Choi Young was trained to be. However, the soldiers all remained silent and still; unmoving. Their eyes were on Choi Young; staring at him as if he weren't there. It was peculiar that none made a single move to strike at him—surely, due to all that he did, they saw him as some kind of a threat with a hand on the hilt of his weapon. Puzzled by their odd behavior, Choi Young—with his guard still up—shifted his dark gaze upwards to the roof of the building where he saw Chun Eum Ja—Gi Cheol's pledged brother—kneeling. In his hands was his weapon; the flute that could _kill_ with soundwaves. His watchful gaze was locked onto Choi Young, yet he remained utterly still and unmoving like the rest of the soldiers. Like they weren't even breathing to begin with.

With the same confidence as before, Choi Young moved past the still figures and made his way up the steps of Gi Cheol's home. Every soldier he passed by made no movement whatsoever; it was like it was safe to enter the court. It was certainly puzzling, but in this odd world within the confinements of his consciousness, anything was surely possible; like seeing the dead. Instead of worrying about how he would leave, Choi Young—after confirming that these soldiers were very well like the dead, unable to perform any further actions or movements—raced along the outside corridor. He slid open the doors and searched every room he could within the Prince of the Court's home; only coming across nothing and no one. Not even the woman he chased.

 _Where.. Where could she have gone?_

It was only then he decided to check the last place she could be; in the garden belonging to Gi Cheol. Choi Young left the room to the outside corridor and made his way around to the back of the court where the garden would be at.

As he remembered clearly, for some reason.

Once he made his way around to the back of the court, he strolled down into the garden; casting a glance around to see if he could spot _her_. And he was able to find her easily. The woman, who tried dressing up as a man before, now wore a white gown fit for royalty; it was as if she were truly a part of the royal family with such a white and unique outfit that was clearly custom-made. She turned around to face him, still being quite the distance away. And it was clear that it was the same woman from the previous two times; how could one forget such an abnormal hair color? Meeting with her gaze once, Choi Young couldn't prevent certain thoughts from entering his mind and for a second, he really believed she was beautiful. It was strange for him, normally he paid little attention to the appearance of others, but something about this woman drew him towards her. However, something else about her also gave off the impression that she was lonely. Her features—her saddened smile and empty gaze—led him to believe that she wasn't happy. It was clear, she did not want to be there. More than anything else, he wanted to approach her and speak to her.

"I'm fine," she murmured, shifting her vacant gaze away from him. Her eyes rested on the variety of flowers surrounding her. "I like it here. So why did you bother coming? We don't need to see each other again, but you keep coming.."

"Because," replied Choi Young directly after, "I need to find answers."

"Answers? For what?" Her smile faded away from her facial features. "I don't need you getting into trouble when I'm fine here. Okay? I know you made a promise, but just forget it."

"How can imja expect me to forget?" he retorted. Choi Young only then realized what he had said—what he had _called_ her. He addressed her as _imja_ when he believed he didn't even know her.

"Then why do you need answers when you already know?" she replied, turning away from him. "You need answers for something you already know. If that isn't forgetful, then I don't know what is.."

"Stop turning away from me!" Choi Young said out of frustration. As if he were going to try and follow her once more, he took a step towards her. Only then a huge and heavy gust of wind blew at them. While Choi Young was normally capable of fighting off almost anything, this gust of wind was as strong as tens of thousands of soldiers at once. Planting his feet firmly on the ground, with his forearm shielding his face from the blast, Choi Young focused on maintaining his position and not being blown away. "Imja!" he called out, screwing his eyes shut as the winds grew more vicious. With slight concern that he lost her, Choi Young stood his ground so that he wouldn't be pushed back by the winds. And just when he thought he was about to lose his balance, the heavy blowing of the wind died out and everything fell silent. A few seconds afterwards, Choi Young lowered his forearm from his face and opened his eyes, only to find himself in a different place than before.

Instead of being in Gi Cheol's garden, Choi Young realized he was now in the Royal Palace; in one of the chambers that Choi Young was once again strangely familiar with. Herbs were littered across one of the oak tables in the room.

 _A doctor's room?_

He couldn't be any more confused than he already was. He was able to find hints and pieces of his memory, but none of it would connect; mainly because he still did not know who that woman was. And now, seeing as he was in the chambers belonging to a doctor, he was far from finding out who she was or where she was at. It was like starting from square one.

"Choi Young.." a voice called out to him.

He lifted his gaze from the herbs on the table over to the sliding door where a woman had entered. Her auburn hair was tied up into a bun with strands framing either side of her face, along with jewels and accessories adorning her hair and features. It led him to believing that he was meeting with royalty. This time, instead of wearing the white outfit from before, she was dressed in a rose-colored wonsam, which was typically worn for ceremonies such a marriages. It was not often he met someone dressed in something so simple and beautiful. Accompanying the rose-colored wonsam was a beige-colored daedae with unique designs on it. All of this felt nostalgic—even her pained expression. It was as if he witnessed something like this before.

"Imja.. What are you wearing?" he asked, taking a hesitant step towards her.

She simply gave him a sad smile. "You should leave this place. I did this for you—to help you.. And if you're imprisoned here, then there will be nothing left I can do to help you. So do me a favor, and leave.. I don't want to see you killed, Choi Young."

"Not until I remember," he told her, taking a few more quiet and slow steps toward her. "Who are you..? And why do I feel like I know you, despite not being able to even remember your face?"

"I told you to leave," she interrupted him, backing up against the screen door. "You can't be here, so please.. Go back.."

"Why do you keep pushing me away?" he suddenly asked, ignoring her request. "Every time I see you.. You're either running from me, or you're pushing me away."

"Because you don't belong here!" she snapped at him. Despite her trying to express her frustrations, her eyes began to water. She wiped away those tears that threatened to fall. "You'll die if you stay, Choi Young.. I've done my best to save you, so why are you still here?"

Something about seeing her close to tears reminded him of the familiarity he once felt. _This happened before.._ Not the way the moment was going down, but all the bits and pieces; the crying, the constant requests, the relentless questioning, the outfits, the locations, _everything_ was familiar.

"Please just go.. Why are you staying? You're going to die!" Another tear fell, dripping down her rosy cheeks. When he remained utterly silent, simply watching her, she looked as though she gave up. With a sorrowful and forced smile, she lowered her gaze from him. "Why are you always making me cry..? These careless actions of yours.. Your thoughtless decisions... for your own well being.. It really sends me over the edge with tears. It's unfair that all you'll let me do is sit and watch.. Isn't it bad enough that I still am regretful for almost killing you? So why do you kill yourself in this way..?"

Before anymore saddened words could fall past her lips, Choi Young lunged forward towards her; wrapping his arms tightly around her as he pulled her into a surprising embrace. Her chin rested atop his shoulder, and he moved to rest his own chin atop her own shoulder. He held her closely, longingly, practically lovingly without even realizing it. Speaking to her at long last, being able to hear her speak, allowed him to slowly recall the memories of their adventures together, where they both loved and lost. The pain they endured together, because of each other, and the happiness the two shared.

"Imja.. You're always on the verge of tears. Is this really all my doing?" he murmured quietly. He listened as she exhaled shakily. "I do these things because it's imja. I promised I would protect you, didn't I? So why is it when I try to keep a promise, you're always sad?" He smiled faintly, still holding her closely and protectively. "..It's strange how seeing you on the verge of tears reminds me of everything. Of who you are.."

"Despite everything I've said.. You're still staying..?" she whispered.

"No," he murmured in response. "I'm going. I'm going to survive, because I do have something to live for now. It's worth the struggle of being General of the Woodalchi. But because of you, I'm going to survive as long as I can. So please.. Help me, imja. Help me wake up from this dreadful world."

* * *

 **A/N: Your thoughts? Hope you enjoyed! Another update should be coming up very soon!**


	4. Sudden Awakening

**A/N: Chapter Four, finally here!**

 **Sorry for the slow update, but it's here at long last. Not an exciting chapter, so apologies for that! Also, I hope that the characters had their correct portrayals. Overall, this was still a fun chapter to write, so I hope you all enjoy and thanks for the patience!**

* * *

She ended up falling asleep in the outside corridor of the palace. Outside where she could relax peacefully, thinking about the day when she could speak to Choi Young again. That would be anytime soon, but since Choi Young could sleep for days at a time without waking up, it was hard to say for certain. While he did manage to wake up very few times, just barely long enough to have an intake of something to drink and a small amount of food, his body was still fighting to recover from the injuries he received during the final battle with Gi Cheol and his household. This time was the longest he had been in a deep rest, one where he didn't wake up for so long. It was as if, despite everything, his body had been fighting to survive; but perhaps his mind believed differently. It couldn't be that he still had the mindset as he previously did, where he could care less if he survived? That was what worried her most, because even though he managed to wake up very few times, for as long as his eyes could stay open—which wasn't very long—his mind was still questioning his will to live. And these deep sleeps he still had to this very moment were where the real battle begun, while his body took the time to recover. It was a battle within the mind, one he had to unfortunately do alone.

One even Eun Soo could not help with or assist in. She did all she could for his physical body as his Doctor.

Before she was persuaded to rest by Doctor Jang, Eun Soo often spoke to Choi Young in his sleep. For what felt like hours, she would talk to him so that he would remember she was waiting for him. Even at times, she found herself in tears, expressing her doubts and urging him to "leave" the deepest depths of his mind; encouraging him to survive this battle she worked so hard to save him from. But never did he make a single movement. It was if he weren't living at all—almost as if it were just his corpse lying in the soldier barracks. But that wasn't the case and Eun Soo vowed that it never would be. Last she checked on him—before Doctor Jang took over—he was still warm and looked like a sleeping person. Surely that was enough to reassure her that she was doing absolutely _everything_ in her power to keep him alive and breathing.

It distressed her.

This was one of her few fears as a Doctor. It was a fear every Doctor faced. The thought of losing someone under their care was terrifying; it was almost like unintentionally killing them. Wouldn't she be branded a _murderer_ for allowing Choi Young to die in her care, under her watch? Would the King—and everyone else—feel like she didn't try her best to heal their strangely, favorable General?

This wasn't even just about losing the life of the patient, although it still worried her relentlessly. But it was more so about _failing_ to save the life of the General she grew to genuinely care about; not just as her patient, but as something much more. Something she could not describe. But to lose him, would be to lose something much greater.

It was frightening to think about.

Why was it she lacked confidence when she needed it most?

This was one of the rare occurrences where she lacked confidence in her own ability, when in reality, there was absolutely nothing to doubt. She was the _great doctor_ , wasn't she? Her title in the Palace was High Doctor, after all. If she weren't that great—to where she was considered as high as the King himself—then she wouldn't have been there to begin with. She wouldn't have saved that General's life the first time.

 _If I can do it once, I can certainly do it again, and again, couldn't I?_

Even in her light sleep, these kind of doubtful thoughts plagued her mind. The terrors of reality haunted her sleep. The usual life of a Doctor, she assumed. Just when she believed those pesky thoughts left her mind for long enough so she could rest properly, she heard footsteps racing in her direction. Opening one eye slightly to see who decided to come and talk to her now, she was surprised to see two of the Woodalchi—specifically Dae Man and Deok Man—approaching her with great haste, while also wearing expressions of concern. Blinking slowly, Eun Soo forced herself up onto her feet, peering over at the two worried soldiers as they slowed to a stop in front of her.

"What's wrong?" It was her initial response to seeing their expressions; whatever was on their mind, it certainly wasn't good. Eun Soo didn't like it.

Both of the Woodalchi exchanged an uneasy glance between one another. Deok Man was the first to speak up and inform her of what was going on, "It's the General. Doctor Jang says it's.. not necessarily urgent, but suggested that you should come right away."

"He co-couldn't come because, uh.. Because he needed to stay by the General's s—side," added Dae Man with a firm nod.

Now that she discovered what worried them, she—too—felt the same exact concern; perhaps a concern even greater than their own. Was that even possible? Eun Soo nodded her head in understanding before she pushed past the two Woodalchi soldiers. At first, it was a fast-paced walk heading back to where her patient was at, since she didn't want to worry Choi Young's comrades further, but eventually she gave up on persuasion and began to jog hurriedly to the General's corridor. Normally Doctors had to try and keep calm during these type of situations, especially not to worry anyone close to the patient, but now was not the time to be just any typical Doctor. It may not have been an urgent request, and while Eun Soo trusted Doctor Jang to handle any situation, she really couldn't afford taking her time. Woodalchi General, Choi Young, was much more than just a patient to High Doctor Eun Soo now.

Once she reached Choi Young's corridor, and upon entry, she spotted Doctor Jang standing beside Choi Young, who was tossing and turning. She rushed beside Doctor Jang, glancing over at him hastily while speaking in a strained and worried tone.

"Doctor Jang, what's going on?"

He stepped aside, revealing Choi Young with a distressed expression on his features. This came as a surprise, even Eun Soo could see it in Doctor Jang's eyes. It was rare when Choi Young expressed any emotion whatsoever; and while Doctor Jang was rather close with the General, it was clear by his current expression that even he rarely saw Choi Young distressed in his sleep. This was the first bit of emotion that was displayed upon the General's features.

"I didn't mean to concern you, High Doctor," apologized Doctor Jang with a slight bow of the head. "But I did promise you that if anything came up, I would inform you immediately. It seems as though he may be ill; he's a bit feverish."

That much was clear to Eun Soo. Earlier, she left Choi Young in a deep sleep. Now he had a slight fever and kept moving—twitching—in his sleep. To help with his fever, Doctor Jang had placed a wet cloth on the General's forehead. Eun Soo took a seat beside Choi Young, reached for his wrist and began checking his pulse. However, the second she touched his cool hand, he jerked slightly in his sleep; his face still scrunched up in an expression of distress.

"Choi Young," murmured Eun Soo as she clutched onto his hand tightly. "You're.. scaring me, acting like this. You're really worrying me and everyone else. So stop this ridiculous behavior of yours, and wake up soon." It was probably best he get some sleep, but she was almost worried that resting wasn't doing him any good; that his deep sleep was only making his condition worse. He barely had any exercise whatsoever, let alone rarely ate or drank apart from the few times he woke up. That couldn't have been healthy, sleeping it through. "I've done all I can to save you.. So why.. Why do you refuse to return to me? You'll really kill yourself, if you keep this up.." It was hard for Eun Soo not to feel teary-eyed. His condition was worsening it seemed and he was only further away from waking up. His life was really in her hands and everyone believed in her. Even she believed in herself moments ago.

Doctor Jang was watching from the distance, as he prepared some herbal medicine for Choi Young while Eun Soo watched over him carefully; doing her best to encourage him to wake up. It wasn't her choice for him to wake up—it had to be his own will. But did he even have it? Those promises he made… could he really keep them? Just as she closed her eyes momentarily, lowering her head, ready to check his pulse once more, she felt a slight movement. Her eyelids fluttered open and her eyes watched as Choi Young stirred in his sleep.

"Imja.." Words fell from his slightly parted lips in the form of a mumble. It was astonishing he was able to speak a single word at the current moment in his condition. Clenching his jaw visibly, Eun Soo watched as he forced his eyelids open.

"Choi Young!" Eun Soo swallowed thickly, peering over at the General with the same concerned expression and teary-eyes. But as she met with his dark gaze, she could see the exhaustion in his eyes. Despite having slept for so long, it was as if he didn't rest at all. But now it was obvious to Eun Soo that he had been fighting all along; fighting the fever, while also fighting to remain alive. He fought to wake himself up from this dreadful sleep that scared everyone. "Stupid.. You had me worried.."

Gazing up at her exhaustedly, his pale hand extended out to her and his cool hand rested on her cheek; his thumb brushing the tears away from her eyes before they could fall. "Even.. in the real world, I bring imja to tears.."

"The real world?" she repeated quietly, taking his cool hand off her cheek and into the both of her hands. She rubbed the front and back of his palm to provide some kind of warmth. "You make no sense, Choi Young.. You've been asleep for a while—you had me scared!"

"Imja? Scared?" Choi Young's eyelids fluttered shut. A tiny grin was forced onto his lips. "There was no reason to be worried over me.. I promised to protect you if you stayed with me, didn't I?"

That reminder caused her to bite back her next words. Instead, she cleared her throat. "I'm your Doctor, remember? And you're my patient.. I have a reason to be worried!" she retorted, a little humiliated by her previous display of emotions. "If you died, then that would have been on my hands.."

"..I'm a little glad imja worried over me," Choi Young murmured, ignoring her previous statement. "It's selfish.. isn't it?" Before she could respond, Choi Young tossed the cloth off his forehead and forced himself up into a sitting position, grunting slightly. Because he had a fever, Eun Soo already knew he probably felt some aches in his muscles. It was to be expected. But despite his overwhelming condition, he went above and beyond for Eun Soo. "I'll be okay."

"You.." Eun Soo sighed heavily, realizing that despite being his Doctor, he would always disregard all of her suggestions and requests. There was no point in fighting. That was how strong Choi Young's will was. It was also the very reason he survived the nights he fell into his deep sleep.

Fortunately, Doctor Jang had left the room momentarily to go and retrieve more herbs to complete his herbal medicine for Choi Young. Now the two were left alone. The stubborn General and the determined Doctor. What a peculiar combination. Suddenly, Choi Young reached a hand out to her and behind Eun Soo's head, bringing her head closer to his until their foreheads were pressed together and the two were left staring into each other's eyes.

"Imja helped me through this, again."

"It was just medicine and medical aid.. You did all the work yourself. It was up to your will to survive in the end," she mumbled, averting her gaze. In the end, she really didn't do anything.

"That's not true," murmured Choi Young, catching her attention easily now. Her eyes met with his once more, curiosity glimmering within them. "Because of imja, I was able to find a reason.." He cleared his throat, obviously new to this kind of openness. But regardless, he did it and remained truthful while doing so. "All because it's you in my life, I was able to find a reason."

And then, the unexpected happened.

Being as close as they could be, the bold and confident Choi Young closed the space between them by pressing his lips against hers for a brief kiss.


	5. Anxiety and Concern

**A/N: Chapter Five is finally here!**

 **Onto reviews: Sorry for the long wait, but it has arrived (here)! I'm glad you're enjoying it! And Faith is one of my favorites too-most of the reason why I had to write for it! But thank you (Kpopcrazy1997)!**

 **Onto business: This chapter took a long time, because of a busy schedule mostly. But it's here, so enjoy!**

* * *

Choi Young was seated on the bed in his quarters, pressing a few fingers against his forehead, which ached considerably. It wasn't that his head hurt—that wasn't it at all. He was simply trying to remember. Well, he did remember, everything as far as he was aware; his dream had left him a little paranoid that he could be missing some memories. It was unlikely; Choi Young wasn't even going to consider it. It was only until after Eun Soo left for a bit that he realized how important his memories really were. During the time she left him, he began to think more about the dream he couldn't seem to forget. It remained inside his mind; the confusion he felt, the desire to remember the impossible, the fear of not being able to recognize the one woman he loved. And because he couldn't recognize her, he was close to giving up his will to live.

Doctor Jang noticed his sudden paranoia. "Is everything alright, General?"

Choi Young remained silent for a couple of seconds before he responded calmly, "Everything is fine." Clearing his throat, Choi Young forced himself up onto his feet, maintaining a blank expression so that he wouldn't give away his current fear. "Where is High Doctor?"

"You shouldn't be up and about." While Doctor Jang approached the General, he studied Choi Young; observing his current condition. "High Doctor? She has gone into the medical quarters to look for a herbal medicine for you." Face to face with Choi Young, Doctor Jang's eyes glanced at the empty bed; hinting that Choi Young should remain in bed. "Rest, General. High Doctor will be with you in a moment."

One thing he didn't like, nor approve of, was receiving commands from a Doctor. Choi Young was very well aware of what he needed to do and his condition. But going back to sleep wouldn't do him any good this time around; the last time he fell into a deep sleep, he forgot about Eun Soo. Besides, his paranoia wouldn't let him fall back asleep; not until he really needed it at least. Instead of following Doctor Jang's command, he ignored him and strolled on past him. But with each confident step, there was an ache in his bones. Choi Young clenched his jaw. Despite the pain and aches in his body, he still put on a false act and made sure he looked completely fine; almost as if the injury didn't exist. Choi Young was only able to make it to the table before it finally got to him. Planting his hand firmly on the table, he dug his nails into the wood and exhaled silently, yet painfully.

"What do you think you're doing?" demanded a voice.

Not bothering to lift his gaze from the floor, Choi Young was easily able to recognize the concerned voice. _Eun Soo_. Once a few seconds passed, he finally lifted his gaze to the woman who approached him. Her lips curved into a frown as she glanced over from Choi Young to Doctor Jang, who also approached Choi Young from behind. She set down the cup in her hands on the table.

"I advised him to rest," explained Doctor Jang. "Our General is a very stubborn man, despite being wise. Perhaps you could get through to him, High Doctor?"

Choi Young interrupted the discussion before Eun Soo could respond. "Why do I need two doctors to watch over me? Isn't one enough?"

If it weren't obvious enough, Choi Young was trying to hint at the fact that he didn't want to be fussed over. His condition at first worsened, but now, Choi Young knew he was recovering. It was a very slow recovery, but one nonetheless; which meant that he didn't need to be supervised by one doctor, let alone two. The most he would accept was one, single doctor; which would ultimately be Eun Soo, since he preferred to have her at his side, rather than Doctor Jang.

"More than one on duty over someone like me would be wasteful." Those words were supposed to emphasize his point, despite being argumentative. But it appeared that Eun Soo and Doctor Jang got the hint.

Instead of arguing, Doctor Jang gave a firm nod of understanding. "Can you watch over him then, High Doctor?" He exchanged a brief glance with Choi Young, one that told him—without words—that he understood completely.

"Me?" Eun Soo pointed at herself and almost looked startled by the idea.

"Yes," responded Doctor Jang as he turned his gaze over to her now. "You are his Doctor, are you not?"

"That would be okay?" she questioned, peering over at Choi Young.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Jang Bin tilted his head a little bit, not fully understanding her reasons behind her sudden uneasiness. "You are the Royal Doctor. You should be in charge of watching over the General, to prevent his health from declining further."

"..Right." Eun Soo's lips curved into a small smile. Dipping her head to Doctor Jang, she turned her attention to Choi Young, curving her lips into a small, triumphant grin now. "That means you have to listen to me, Choi Young."

"You may be my doctor," mumbled Choi Young as he looked her in the eye. "But that doesn't mean I need to listen to your every command." Nodding at Doctor Jang, he moved passed him. He was about to make his way past Eun Soo, when she suddenly spread her arms out wide and blocked his path. Choi Young didn't even blink. Instead, he kept his gaze firmly on her smaller figure. "What do you think you are doing?"

"Where do you think you're going?" she retorted, rolling her eyes. "Did you listen to Doctor Jang? I'm the _Royal Doctor_ ; therefore, you must listen to me!"

"I'm going out to get a breath of fresh air. I've been resting in here longer than necessary." Choi Young's response was simple; there was nothing he needed to explain. "Is there a reason I cannot leave?"

"Well.. you're in no condition to be moving about!" objected Eun Soo. Her smile from earlier disappeared and was replaced with a small, yet serious frown. "You must listen to me in order to get better."

"I won't be getting any better by staying inside." Choi Young began to push past her, though she stood her ground, not budging a single bit.

"Do you treat all your doctors this way?" she snapped. "The least you could do is at least listen to me! R-right, Doctor Jang?" she called out, pushing herself onto her tippy toes while blocking his path. However, Doctor Jang left the two a while ago; even Choi Young realized it when he left Eun Soo in charge.

"Imja." Choi Young's hands rested firmly on her shoulders, forcing her to look into his eyes. "I will listen to you when it's necessary. But right now, don't you agree that exercise and fresh air will help me recover?"

Eun Soo paused briefly. In all honesty, Choi Young really didn't want to rest anymore. His body had enough rest from the previous few days. Not only that, but his mind was sick and tired of all the sleep—it left him with unpleasant dreams; ones he didn't wish to return to anytime soon. He didn't want to return to his loss of memories, nor did he want to wake up, actually forgetting her. It wasn't possible, Choi Young was aware of that much. But it was _terrifying_ to return to a dream world, where Eun Soo didn't exist in his memories. His sleep used to save him from the hell of a reality, but now it left him with nothing but fears.

 _What a joke. I've feared less and less, the more I've lost. Yet, here I am, refusing to listen to her because of my fears._

Choi Young was a joke. Being afraid of, not death—not losing his freedom—but of his dreams that told a different story. It was a pitiful state to be in, when every day horrors occurred all around him. The brave and fearless Woodalchi general finally had something to be afraid of.

"All right," agreed Eun Soo at long last, interrupting his thoughts. "I'll let you go outside. You are right.. You should get some exercise and a little fresh air." With reluctance—Choi Young saw it in her actions as her gaze dropped from him and her lips curved into an uncertain frown—she stepped aside, allowing him a path to walk through. His gaze turned away from her as he began to stroll on past her. But after a couple of steps, he found himself having a hard time making it a few steps. The aches in his body returned, causing more and more difficulty. Not only that was an issue, but out of the blue, he began to feel a little light headed. It was almost as if the room itself was spinning—which was clearly impossible. A heavy sigh fell past his lips as he made his way to the nearby wall, near the steps. Once he reached the wall, he leaned against it, closing his eyes momentarily. "Choi Young!" Eun Soo's voice was filled with obvious concern.

"This doesn't make sense," he muttered quietly, though loud enough for her to hear. "Why is it so difficult.."

"Because," responded Eun Soo, "You've rested for a week, without any exercise, and with little nourishment. The only times you ate were when you woke up, and you didn't eat very much to begin with." With Choi Young's eyes still closed, he listened to her approaching footsteps. "You refuse to listen to me.. What did you expect?"

His eyelids forced themselves open. Right in front of him stood Eun Soo, who had placed her hand against his forehead.

"Your fever hasn't died down either.. That is why I brought the medicine." Eun Soo sighed heavily as she took a few steps back. "Do you see what kind of condition you're in?" She spun around and made her way back to the table, where she picked up the small cup from the table, right where she left it earlier. "You keep trying to push yourself, right after you've finally recovered for the most part. But even if you have recovered from the critical injury, there are still things you need to take care of before you run around again."

"Like what, then?" Choi Young responded, watching as she walked right towards him, cup still in hand.

With a tiny smile, she offered the cup filled with a mysterious liquid in it. "Drink this, first. This is your medicine. It will help reduce your fever. And I've already asked Lady Choi to bring you a meal in a little bit, so that will help too."

Choi Young took the cup from her, peering into it before looking back at her. Then without another word, he downed the entire liquid. After swallowing, he cleared his throat, unable to rid his mouth of the bitter taste of the remedy. "It tastes bad," he commented.

Eun Soo took it from him with a smile. "It might taste bitter, but it'll help you." She put the cup back on the table before returning to him, offering her shoulder to him next. He simply blinked, a little confused by her offer.

"What are you doing?"

"You said you wanted some fresh air, right? Well, I'll help you. So come on!" she urged him. Choi Young was reluctant to receive her help, but just for once, he would let her do her job and act as her patient. Carefully, he draped an arm over her shoulder; however, he also made sure not to put all his weight on her tiny body. "There. Ready?" She turned her attention back to him.

"Yeah." It was his only hope that they didn't run into any of the Woodalchi warriors. The last thing he needed was this incident to be spread around.

* * *

Admittedly, Choi Young was a bit heavier than anticipated. But it was to be expected, since most of his body was muscle mass—or so Eun Soo imagined. With his arm around her shoulder, she could practically _feel_ his muscles..

 _Eun Soo, you stop that!_

She had to get those wandering thoughts out of her mind. She couldn't even believe she was thinking about those types of things when he wasn't even in top-notch condition!

 _I shouldn't be thinking about this at all!_

She shamed herself for having those thoughts in mind. It was wrong of her, as his Doctor. Well—it was wrong of her in _general_ , actually. It took a couple minutes to reach "their spot" or meet-up place, as Eun Soo considered it. It was where they did a lot of things together; mainly held most of their conversations. It was a very special place, and somehow, she knew that it was where Choi Young wanted to be as well. She helped Choi Young sit down against the scarlet gate, before sitting herself right next to him.

For the first few minutes, it was very quiet between the two. Eun Soo fell silent, hoping Choi Young would start up a conversation. But it appeared that it wasn't very likely of him, since as soon as she glanced over at him, his eyes were closed while his head rested against the bars of the gate.

 _He's resting.._

Another thing to have been expected. Someone who was in his condition needed proper rest. She couldn't even believe herself for thinking she could have an open conversation with him while he was ill! It was like her doctor senses weren't taking over, like they should have been. Truthfully, though, her adventure in Goryeo didn't require a lot of her medical care. There were instances where her medical abilities were needed, but not a lot. She had been out of the zone for so long, she barely realized it.

Instead of starting up a conversation, and rather than leaving him, Eun Soo shifted her position very quietly, so she was facing the resting Choi Young now. She had to keep a very good eye on him, to make sure he was going to be okay. Facial expressions and body language were all key in figuring out if someone was having a hard time. And for several, long minutes, Eun Soo watched Choi Young very carefully, though at some point, her mind wandered off a little bit to certain thoughts. As she kept staring at him, she realized that while he was resting he had a very peaceful expression on his features. It caused her curiosity to rise a little bit, seeing as out of all the times he rested, this was the first time he showed any sign of tranquility. It brought a little ease over Eun Soo, considering how worried she was the entire time. The past few days, she found it harder and harder to keep patient, though she had to be. His condition had only seemed to worsen at the time and it led her to believe less and less in herself.

That was part of the reason why she was uncertain about taking charge of Choi Young earlier. When Doctor Jang had insisted she watch over him, she couldn't help but feel like she wasn't right for the job. It was almost as if she were losing faith in herself and her own abilities as a doctor. Her uncertainty was what began to hold her back. It shouldn't have.

But it did.

Throughout her never ending thoughts, she didn't realize that she was still staring at Choi Young, with an unblinking gaze. Eun Soo had been too lost in her own thoughts to realize it at all.

"Why are you staring at me?"

Those words snapped her out of her thoughts. Startled, Eun Soo blinked several times quickly, at last noticing that she had been staring; creepily, to add onto it. But what surprised her even more was that Choi Young had caught her staring, even when his eyes were still closed. "I'm not staring," she objected seconds after. Even as she said that, she was still staring at him.

"Yes you are."

"How would you know if I was or wasn't? Your eyes are closed!" she retorted, still staring.

One of his eyelids opened, catching her on the spot. Instantly, she averted her gaze from him, knowing that she was caught lying, but also hoping he didn't catch her in time.

"You were staring," he stated firmly, opening his other eye next to focus on her more now. "I know when someone is staring.. Imja just makes it obvious, though."

"Well I'm watching for signs of improvement or trouble!" she responded, agitated by his constant statements. "That's why I'm out here to begin with."

"I don't need a doctor out here with me," Choi Young told her.

A little annoyed now by his stubbornness, she pursed her lips momentarily before she began to get up. "Fine. Since you don't need a 'doctor' out here, I guess I'll be leaving!"

However, before she could get up on her feet, she felt someone grab onto her wrist; preventing her from doing so. Blinking once, she glanced over at Choi Young who had grasped firmly onto her wrist so that she wouldn't leave. "I don't need a doctor with me at the moment. I want _imja_ to be here with me."

She stared blankly at him for a few seconds before she realized what he was getting at. Now, instead of getting up like she planned to do minutes earlier, she remained seated beside Choi Young. "So.. you don't want me to leave?" Her question was murmured quietly.

"No." He moved his hand from her wrist, down to her hand, where he clung tightly onto it. He squeezed it barely, yet gently, so that he wouldn't hurt her. "I want imja to stay with me. I don't want imja to worry about my health, but to spend time with me."

"O-oh.." Eun Soo cleared her throat. At his oddly generous words, her lips began to curve up into a smile. But to hide that from him, so that she wouldn't reveal too much of her delight from those words, she shifted her position from him so that she was no longer facing him. Rather, they were back side-by-side, shoulders brushed against each other and hands—which were out of sight—intertwined with one another. "Why didn't you just say that earlier? Stupid.."

He didn't even respond. Instead, she felt some of his weight against one side of her shoulder. As she glanced over at him, she realized that he was leaning against her, with his head resting on her shoulder. His eyes were once again closed and like before, his facial expression revealed how relaxed he truly was. "Imja isn't very bright. I expected someone to have figured out the meaning behind my words so easily.. Guess I was wrong."

"You're just a jerk." Still, now that he wasn't looking, she was able to smile as big as she wanted to, and reveal as much delight as she felt.

 _This feeling.. It keeps reappearing every time I'm with him.._

It wasn't a feeling she was very familiar with. In all her years of living, not once did she ever experience the feeling in her chest. The fluttering in her stomach, the warmth in her chest; it was all because she was with him.

 _Because it's you, Choi Young, I think.. I really have found the 'one.'_

She, too, closed her eyes moments later to rest in silence with the general. To her, nothing could be more relaxing than this time spent with him.

* * *

 **A/N: Your thoughts? :)**


	6. Curiosity

**A/N: Hello! I am back from my long hiatus, and I am so sorry it took so long to get out another chapter. I just had way too much to do and couldn't fit any time for any of my writing. But, here is a new chapter for Faith! Thanks to everyone for waiting patiently and enjoying! Let me know what you think, and hopefully from this point, the story continues to remain interesting!**

 **Thanks again, and enjoy!**

* * *

"So.. The King.. He wants to see you?" asked Eun Soo quietly as she watched Choi Young dress in his armor. For a second, his features scrunched up in what appeared to be discomfort, though he attempted to hide it by avoiding her eyes. Regardless, being the doctor she was, Eun Soo was very well aware that the armor put a slight strain on his body. She knew it wasn't because he was exhausted or injured, but rather from the lack of proper exercise. However, Eun Soo wasn't too concerned, since she knew that the strain would be minor.

"Yes. I haven't been to see him since.." Choi Young's voice trailed off slightly as he figured out what to call Gi Cheol's death. "Since the incident."

 _Oh? So that's what we're referring to it as?_

She nodded her head slowly in understanding. "I see. He must be worried about you."

Choi Young glanced at her briefly, looking a little confused at her comment. "Worried about me? He's simply curious about my current condition and if I am still capable of leading the Woodalchi. That is most important for his Majesty."

Eun Soo's lips curved into a frown and she hit the General lightly on his shoulder in a scolding manner. "And you need to quit thinking so lowly of yourself! I didn't save you so you could degrade yourself.. He cares about you. Trust me.."

"Imja." His tone fell flat as he turned to face her. "Where you came from...you see everyone worthy of praise. But it's very different here.. Here your worth is based on your abilities. His Majesty...he needs to only worry for himself. He can lose as many soldiers as necessary to remain alive."

"So then what is my worth?" she challenged, folding her arms across her chest. "I'm not like you. Or any of the Woodalchi for that matter.."

"You saved her Highness, Imja. That is more than any of the Woodalchi have ever done." He placed his hands reassuringly on her shoulders, giving a small smile as if to prove sincerity in his words. "Now come on. His Majesty is waiting for us."

Eun Soo forced a smile onto her lips as she nodded in agreement. "Then let's go. I think you've kept him waiting too long.. He's probably feeling anxious this entire time and that isn't healthy."

Together, side-by-side, the two strolled out of the General's quarters. As they made their way to the King's quarters, the two were often greeted by some of the court ladies and Woodalchi they passed. Eun Soo peered occasionally over at Choi Young to match his stride. However, the one thing she could not match was his posture. He stood with his back straight, and the range of his steps were all balanced evenly, or so it appeared to her. In simpler terms, Eun Soo just saw him as the perfect soldier, and despite being a heavy sleeper and oftentimes challenging to his comrades—especially to the King—Choi Young still managed to maintain the appearance of the perfect General.

His focus never shifted to her. Instead, it remained in front of him until they reached the large doors leading to the King's quarters. And only then did Choi Young shift his tranquil gaze over to the officers guarding the doors. Within seconds of making eye contact with the General, the officers opened the doors willingly, and Eun Soo followed Choi Young into the room. It was a beautiful room, painted with ordinary colors, but also decorated with paintings suited to the King's liking, or so Eun Soo assumed. And as her gaze traveled around the room, she finally spotted the King in the center, right before his desk. His gaze was also calm, similarly to Choi Young's. However, as Choi Young and Eun Soo approached him, she noticed his lips twitching into a subtle frown, indicating some type of unhappiness.

For a few, uneasy moments, the King of Goryeo remained completely silent as he stared down at the two—more specifically, Choi Young. Curiously, Eun Soo peered over at Choi Young, whose seemingly emotionless gaze bore into the King's. Then, almost right after the awkward silence, Eun Soo watched as Choi Young dropped down onto one knee, bowing his head to the King. Eun Soo was about to do the same—out of respect to her King—when King Gongmin cleared his throat abruptly.

"That's enough. You may stand." Once Choi Young shifted back onto both feet, King Gongmin continued. This time, however, his attention was shifted to Eun Soo; his gaze remaining tranquil, similarly to Choi Young. "How is his condition?"

Eun Soo breathed in before speaking in a clear tone. "He's doing much better, your Majesty. He has almost completely healed up, but from my perspective—as the High Doctor—I believe a few more days of rest should be all he needs to fully recover. I recommend exercise, to help as well. But nothing too overwhelming," she added quickly. "I truly think… that the most difficult part of the recovery is over. He has remained strong and very well rested, might I add." A small smile formed on her lips as she bowed her head to the King.

"...I see." There had been a short pause before Gongmin responded. "If that's the case, then so be it—"

"Your Majesty," began Choi Young suddenly, interrupting him like he normally did. "It is only a recommendation."

"Wait a sec—" objected Eun Soo before she was cut off completely.

"If you need me, I can return to my duties right away.."

"No," Gongmin stated firmly right after, furrowing his brows. "High Doctor just confirmed that your full recovery will take a couple more days, at the least. Do as she says. It's an order."

At his command, Choi Young fell completely silent. However, despite Gongmin's harsh reaction, Eun Soo simply knew—from his expressions, tone, and choice of words—that he felt strongly about Choi Young's situation. It was more than clear, time after time of seeing patients, that King Gongmin was genuinely worried about Choi Young. And although Choi Young wouldn't believe such an absurd _fact_ , Eun Soo knew this was exactly how the King felt. Even Queen Noguk would agree.

Suddenly, Gongmin made eye contact with Eun Soo and spoke up one final time to her. "High Doctor, I need a word alone with the General."

Almost immediately, Eun Soo understood and bowed her head, though a bit reluctant to leave Choi Young on his own. Rather, she was concerned he would do something _insane_ —brilliant, but insane. That's just how he was. It was almost admirable, if he almost didn't get himself killed several times. But she believed that the King would plant his foot firmly on the ground to any absurd suggestions against her _professional_ recommendation. She eyed Choi Young sternly, opening her mouth slightly and mouthing the word " _don't_ " secretly to him; though, after hearing the King clear his throat— _explicitly_ implying that she leave—Eun Soo offered a smile up once more before turning away and leaving as he commanded.

However, after she left the room with the guards closing the door shut, Eun Soo couldn't help but feel tired suddenly. Almost as if the exhaustion from staying awake—being unable to sleep well—was finally hitting her. As she waited outside the doors, almost tempted to wander, she heard footsteps approaching her, along with a call of her name.

"High Doctor."

Eun Soo quickly turned to face the woman she had grown so familiar with. Just by hearing the sound of her voice, Eun Soo was able to picture a face and name. Smiling warmly—and hiding her exhaustion—Eun Soo greeted the court lady as she came to a slow halt in front of her. "Lady Choi, is there something you need?"

"Yes, actually. Her Highness requests your immediate presence," explained Lady Choi.

"My immediate presence?" Eun Soo's voice filled with concern at the sudden request. Initially, Eun Soo thought something was wrong. "What's wrong..?"

"Oh, nothing is wrong, High Doctor. Her Highness simply wishes to speak with you at the moment. It is of no emergency, but her Highness understands how busy you are, caring for Choi Young." Lady Choi sighed in slight irritation herself, shaking her head. "That boy.. He is quite the handful at times, isn't he? But do not worry, if he happens to finish his meeting with his Majesty, then I will send him your way."

"Is that so.." Eun Soo nodded her head, understanding the Queen's sudden request. "I'll go see her right now." Just as she began to make her way off to the Queen's quarters, Eun Soo turned toward Lady Choi and expressed her appreciation. "Thank you. And you are right, Choi Young is really...really a handful."

* * *

Admittedly, Choi Young found humor in Eun Soo's sternness and attempts to act professional. Oddly, at one point in time, he would have found it bothersome and annoying, but then again, Choi Young was well aware she wouldn't have put that much effort into his life. Because, _once upon a time_ , the two simply had no relations to each other; their bond was weak and could have easily been broken, similarly to a string. But their connection had grown quite stronger—stronger than Choi Young could have ever imagined.

Because once upon a time, he was a simple General.

And she was a plain Doctor.

However, despite his hidden enjoyment, Choi Young remained completely composed, with not a single hint of a smile on his features. Rather, he remained calm and silent, waiting patiently for the King's words. And he waited a few minutes, surprisingly. Normally, Choi Young noted that King Gongmin usually had a lot on his mind and definitely a whole lot more to say. Most of the time, it was directed towards Choi Young, who he desperately wanted to be his most loyal and trusting soldier. However, Choi Young was still uncertain and hesitant about such an idea. It was wrong to place so much trust and hope into one single soldier; especially one who would eventually die in times of war.

And if he did happen to die, by chance, then that would leave King Gongmin in a very vulnerable position, which would again, leave Goryeo in a vulnerable state. Choi Young couldn't possibly allow such _selfish_ desires endanger all that Choi Young cared and fought for.

It was best to remain distanced.

That's how Choi Young saw it. As harsh and cruel as it may have been, Choi Young wasn't ready to take a risk like that.

Finally, after a couple more minutes of silence passing and King Gongmin staring intently at Choi Young, he spoke. "Are you certain you're well?"

A question such as that caught Choi Young off guard and had him startled. It was almost as if his word wasn't trusted. And more importantly, Choi Young found it odd that King Gongmin felt the need to persist.

"Your Majesty, do not let High Doctor's concerns worry you. As a doctor, it is her duty to be in a worried state, especially since…" His voice trailed off for a couple seconds.

 _Since...she cares personally about me._

Choi Young would have been honest, although it was irrelevant and personal. Nothing for the King's ears.

"...she has to keep an eye on her patients, constantly. I'm certain there is no real concern for me."

"General." There was a sudden strictness in the King's voice. "Give me a direct answer. Are you certain you're well?"

Choi Young was surprised that the King decided to demand a more direct answer. But regardless, he answered, "I am well, your Majesty. High Doctor has done well in helping my recovery."

"When will you be ready to resume your duties as General of the Woodalchi?" persisted King Gongmin. "And I do not want to hear 'right away,' I will be following High Doctor's recommendation. But I want to be sure you feel ready to resume your duties after your time off."

"Whenever you need me, your Majesty, I will be ready," Choi Young answered genuinely. "If you were to need me this moment, I am here to resume my duty as General. If you were to need me ten years from now, I will still be here, to continue being your Majesty's General." By now, Choi Young bowed his head respectively, clearing his throat silently. "Even if I were on the verge of death, and you needed me, I would return to your side."

Such an answer silenced the King as he stared at Choi Young. "And of High Doctor?"

Choi Young's jaw tensed at the question, though he answered his curious King. "High Doctor understands my duty. But I do not see reason to consider her in this situation.."

 _Is he testing my loyalty?_

"Lift your head," commanded King Gongmin. He paused briefly before finally agreeing with Choi Young. "You are right. Let us discuss a more important matter." Once Choi Young lifted his head, King Gongmin continued, "I have your next assignment ready, as the General of the Woodalchi."

Choi Young rested his unwavering gaze on the King, remaining quiet, as he waited patiently for the King's briefing on the next assignment.

* * *

"Thank you, your Highness. This is _really_ generous of you."

Eun Soo smiled warmly at the kind Queen who had poured tea for Eun Soo. As always, Queen Noguk looked absolutely _beautiful_. Wearing beautiful outfits, adorned with pretty accessories—all fit for a Queen like the one before her. Eun Soo couldn't help but be a tiny bit envious of the beautiful woman in front of her. However, she pushed aside such envy so she could focus on her conversation with the Queen.

"No need to thank me. Anything for you, High Doctor." Queen Noguk returned a sweet and kind smile to Eun Soo, making brief eye contact with her. She lifted her hand and brushed her fingers across her neck, where fatal wound had once been. Now, to Eun Soo, it felt as though ages ago. "I would not be here, speaking with you, if you had not saved my life."

"The one you should be thanking is Choi Young, actually," commented Eun Soo as she took a sip of her tea. "He's the one who dragged me here to save you."

Eun Soo's commented earned a light-hearted laugh from Queen Noguk, and she dipped her head in acknowledgment. "You are right. The General also deserves _our_ gratitude. Not only for saving my life, but for being the General he is. Without him.." Queen Noguk's gaze lowered slightly to her own tea cup. "...Everything would have been different."

For a moment, Queen Noguk seemed to be reminiscing. Eun Soo decided to change the subject, only because she figured that the Queen would end up overthinking Choi Young's role in her life, as well as everyone else's.

"Do you think his Majesty feels the same way?" asked Eun Soo curiously, wanting to confirm her own suspicions. "Do you think he is just as grateful?"

Queen Noguk lifted her gaze, nodding in agreement. "I do believe so. Our General.. He has been loyal to his Majesty. Even when the General's intentions were misunderstood, and deepest longings ignored, he remained completely loyal to him." A humored smile formed on Queen Noguk's lips. "And a lot of the time, his Majesty gets worked up by those decisions and desires. But by now, I have learned that, no matter what the General does, he can be trusted. Sometimes his Majesty never understood the decisions of his General, and I have certainly seen him at his worst, but now.. Now I think his Majesty has finally come to understand the General."

"I agree," responded Eun Soo, grinning slightly. "I had a feeling his Majesty had a better understanding of Choi Young.."

"He does. I also believe he cares very much about the General." Queen Noguk watched Eun Soo carefully. "You seem to also care a lot about the General, High Doctor. It's almost hard to imagine you two not getting along."

She was referring to the beginning, where Eun Soo did not like Choi Young a single bit. Eun Soo rubbed the side of her neck awkwardly, averting her own gaze as she tried to find the right words to say. "I.. I do care a lot about Choi Young. But that's probably, really obvious by now to everyone.."

"You like him very much, don't you?"

Eun Soo was surprised by such a question from the Queen. At first, Eun Soo didn't know what to say. Sure, it was beyond _obvious_ that she and Choi Young had feelings for one another. But to hear in words felt a little embarrassing because their personal relationship had seemed to reach the King and Queen.

Despite the embarrassment, Eun Soo answered honestly. "..I.. I do." Her words were quiet, but then Eun Soo continued with some kind of confidence. "I like him quite a bit. It was a surprise to me too when I realized how much he meant to me.. But it didn't take me long to realize that our feelings for one another had just... _blossomed_ ; just like everyone else.. It's weird, sometimes. How you could fall in love with someone you hated so much.." Eun Soo's voice trailed off into silence, and eventually she cleared her throat, realizing how personal she got with the Queen. "Sorry, I rambled."

Queen Noguk's smile reassured her otherwise. "I found what you said to be very beautiful, High Doctor. Like a flower, relationship's blossom, and for the most part, they are something beautiful." The Queen's persistent questions never seemed to stop, though. "High Doctor, I have one more question.. Though, I do not know how comfortable you will be with answering it."

"No, no; go on, your Highness," insisted Eun Soo. "I don't mind answering any questions of yours.."

Queen Noguk nodded firmly. "Then, forgive me for my curiosity, but since you and the General share mutual feelings with one another, have either of you discussed raising a child of your own?"

This had been the wrong time to take a sip of tea. Eun Soo had almost— _almost_ —spit out her tea when she heard the Queen's question. Slapping a hand of her mouth, Eun Soo forced the liquid down her throat, almost choking. "P-pardon..?"

 _How am I supposed to answer this question?_


	7. Selfishness

**A/N: Hello everyone! I hope everyone had a great New Year and wonderful Holiday!**

* * *

"A child." Queen Noguk laughed silently at Eun Soo's reaction. "Have you or the General ever considered having one?"

For a moment, despite it being such a bizarre question, Eun Soo took the question into deep consideration.

 _Would I..? Do I want to..?_

It was too soon— _too early_ —to think about such life decisions. Eun Soo wasn't even certain how far her relationship with the General would go; though, admittedly, he was far different from the other men she dated. He was neither selfish, nor was he obsessed. Rather, he was quite the gentleman, despite being a cold-blooded warrior, willing to take life after life all for the sake of his King.

Yes, Choi Young was indeed different.

In a good way, he was different from other men.

But still, a child was further down the road. Eun Soo wasn't even sure if she _wanted_ children of her own. From what she observed, children were trouble makers at times; often inducing stress onto mothers and fathers. Additionally, as Eun Soo made herself aware, a parent's circumstances could also induce stress onto their children and ultimately lead to future health problems; both mentally and physically.

 _Besides,_ she thought _, if I can't keep Choi Young in line, how could I possibly take care of a child? Surely a child would be far more difficult than an adult.._

"Where I come from, your Highness, the desires to have children comes long after the dating period," explained Eun Soo, folding her hands. "And sometimes, that comes after marriage.."

Queen Noguk tilted her head slightly, blinking at Eun Soo's initial explanation. "Dating period..?" she repeated slowly. "Pardon my asking, High Doctor, but what is this 'dating period' you speak of? I seem to be...unfamiliar with such a word."

Eun Soo smiled slightly, mentally slapping herself for using modern terminology to confuse the young Queen. "Right.. Dating.. Well.." She paused briefly, losing all formalities as she leaned back into her seat. "How can I explain this… Ah!" Eun Soo sat up straight, nodding slowly. "The dating period is where two individuals who feel strongly for each other use up their time to get to know each other and better understand one another."

Queen Noguk still looked as confused as before. "I see.. Do people...go through this dating period all the time?" For a moment, Queen Noguk looked troubled. "I hope I am not too far distanced from the people."

Eun Soo shook her head to reassure her. "Where I'm from, it's natural to date one another to see who we work well with. But it's different from what you know, your Highness. It's a whole new world that only I know of."

"Correct me if I am wrong then, High Doctor, but does this mean that you and the General are in this dating period?" she asked.

Eun Soo felt her cheeks heat up at the embarrassing question. Obviously, Queen Noguk wouldn't know the embarrassments behind the question. "Well, I would say yes. We sort of are in that period. We're testing the waters of our relationship. It's kind of like a sink or sail experience."

A smile pulled at the corners of Queen Noguk's lips, and she bowed her head to Eun Soo. "Though I still do not fully understand your world, High Doctor, I do see what you are saying." Her head lifted and she made eye contact with Eun Soo. "You are not yet interested in having children of your own. At least, not until you have a better understanding of the General."

"That's right, your Highness," murmured Eun Soo.

"But I do have to say I am a bit surprised. You know the General better than anyone else," commented Queen Noguk, pushing aside her cup of tea. "You have seen sides of him we have not."

Eun Soo smiled warmly at the statement. "That was just luck. Everybody has layers to their being, some of us are just lucky to be able to get past. I think the same goes for you and His Majesty."

"I suppose I am fortunate to have done the same," Queen Noguk breathed out, closing her eyes with a pleased smile. "Thank you for taking some time to come and visit me. I feel as though I have gained some valuable insight by speaking with you. You truly are something special, High Doctor."

Eun Soo was taken aback by the compliment, but she dipped her head in thanks. "I'm glad I could offer some of my wisdom," she joked. Brushing aside her red locks, she reached for her cup of hot tea. "But really," she murmured, lifting the cup up to her lips, "I'm truly glad to have been able to speak to you. Not so much as a Doctor, but more as a.."

 _A friend_ , she thought.

"An acquaintance," she finished, believing it to be much more appropriate. Then she took a sip from her cup of tea, scrunching up her face. The tea had grown cold after all this talk. She set down the cup and rubbed her palms together. "Is that all you wished to speak to me about?"  
"An acquaintance," repeated Queen Noguk softly. "And yes, High Doctor. I didn't mean to take up so much of your time. I simply wanted to speak with _you_ as a person, not a Doctor. But all of this turned out to be quite a pleasure."

"Likewise, your Highness," murmured Eun Soo, bowing her head in return to her response. "If I'm honest, this is one of the few times anyone has considered my words...wise, so to speak. Usually, people take a doctor's word lightly. Especially since I've changed my career path."

Eun Soo's words earned an odd look from Queen Noguk. She tilted her head slightly, dark strands of hair following along with every head movement. "That sounds peculiar. Doctors are very wise. They deal with birth and death. They are kind of like...messengers, between life and death," commented Queen Noguk, shaking her head. "I very well understand you come from a world different from ours, but...I have a hard time believing anyone would take your words lightly. Doctors are a blessing-a gift, if I may. Without a doctor, I would have…" Queen Noguk's soft voice trailed off into silence as she clutched the fabric of her dress between tiny fingers. Her eyes averted from Eun Soo's as she appeared to be unable to mention the mere word: _died_.

 _She would have died._

Eun Soo knew it well. All too well. From the moment she saw Queen Noguk.

Eun Soo shifted in her seat, crossing her legs while brushing her fingertips lightly across her cheek. _Had I resisted much longer, would she still be here?  
_ Another thought that intruded her mind often was about history.

 _History has been set in stone, yet I was able to save the Queen. How is any of this possible? None of this should be possible.._ Eun Soo rubbed her forehead, closing her eyes briefly as she hoped for the sudden ache in her head to subside. A small headache, one that these thoughts evoked. _It's just far too much for me to even wrap my mind around. I should learn to accept it. But there is one question I still have: can I change the future? Can I rewrite history?_

Queen Noguk must have noticed Eun Soo's troubles, because her voice penetrated her thoughts, "Is something on your mind, High Doctor? Are you unwell?"

Eun Soo forced herself to smile, dropping her hand to her lap as she shook her head. "No.. Not at all. I'm just feeling a little tired.." She cleared her throat, speaking louder now. "Actually, because I was taking care of Choi Young these past few days, I've been unable to find a moment's rest. And can you believe it? The guy doesn't even thank me!" Eun Soo was attempting to change the subject, more so by getting riled up and placing her 'troubles' onto Choi Young. "After all this time-and after everything I've done for him, mind you-he goes on his way and doesn't even show me some gratitude. All he did ever since his improvement is resist my help!"

The Queen laughed a little at Eun Soo's rant. "I see. Men can be like that sometimes, I believe," agreed Queen Noguk. "I have seen it with his Majesty. However, we can only advise. They will learn with time, as we will. But if you are feeling exhausted, High Doctor, by all means you can return to your barracks to rest up."

"Thank you, your Highness."

Eun Soo stood up, bowing respectfully to the sitting Queen before making her way to leave. The court ladies escorted her to the doors, opening them for her so she could exit. The second Eun Soo stepped foot outside the Queen's grounds, she was met face to face with Choi Young, who had moved from his position from the wall.

"Ah.." Eun Soo peered over at Choi Young with slightly widened eyes. "What are you doing out here, Choi Young?"

Choi Young blinked at her words, though he remained as calm as ever. "I was waiting for imja. I received Lady Choi's message from you. Why are you surprised?"  
Eun Soo rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "I should ask why did you wait.. I was with her Highness for a long time, I expected you had gone to rest, _like I told you to._ "

Choi Young stared blankly at her before glancing away briefly. "Much of what you say is very contradicting, imja."

She shot a glare at him, raising a brow in question. "What is that supposed to mean?" She was slightly insulted by his words.

"Well, first you tell me to come your way, but now you're telling me I should have rested," responded Choi Young. "Would you have been happy if I decided to ignore your message for my own selfishness? Would any of those options have made you happy, imja?"

Her glare softened slightly at his response. She rubbed her forehead once more, still unable to get rid of the headache. "I..I don't know," she mumbled in defeat. There was no arguing with him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get angry with you. I guess I'm worried about your well being, so I get a little upset when you don't take my advice seriously." She peered over at him, noticing his sudden silence. "..But I also suppose I'm a tiny bit happy because my own selfishness wanted you to be here, even if I say the opposite," she admitted. She dropped her arm once more and folded her arms, glancing away now as she couldn't bear to look him in the eye after confessing such a cheesy thing.

But she was caught off guard when she felt a hand pressed against her forehead. Her eyes darted over to Choi Young, who was now only a few inches away from her, with his hand pressed firmly against her forehead.

"What are you.." she began.

"Is imja ill?" he murmured quietly, dropping his hand from her head now as he peered down at her with genuine concern. "You don't appear to have a fever."

"That's because I don't have a fever," she responded with a small smile due to his attempt. "I just have a small headache. I was going to head back to the barracks.."

"Why didn't you say anything sooner?" he questioned. "I think you focus too much on my health than your own." He grabbed her wrist and began walking towards the barracks, pulling her gently along.

"Well, I never got a chance to," she grumbled, following behind. "Maybe it was my own selfishness again that this conversation is even happening.."

"I will inform Doctor Jang and have him check on you," murmured Choi Young as the two strolled quickly down the hall, passing by servants and court ladies who moved aside for the couple's convenience.

Although Eun Soo wanted to argue, she figured that would only lead her into more trouble with Choi Young. Specifically, more scolding that would initiate another debate between the two. And as much as she wanted to prove him wrong, she knew Choi Young was right; her statements were contradictory. More so because she was his partner as much as his doctor.

 _If I want our relationship to grow, then I need to learn to be one or the other._

* * *

"Well?" demanded Choi Young.

He stood a foot behind Doctor Jang, arms folded. His eyes were focused on Doctor Jang who-under the many requests of Choi Young-checked up on Eun Soo's health. He was bending over her, checking her forehead temperature now, as the last check up, and stood straight. He turned to Choi Young, shaking his head.

"Well," began Doctor Jang, looking Choi Young in the eye, "Nothing is wrong with High Doctor. If anything, she is in perfect shape. Her condition is healthy, as always." Doctor Jang paused a brief, few seconds while Eun Soo sat up. "What was the cause for concern, if I may ask?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing," commented Eun Soo, standing up. "I-"

Choi Young brushed past Doctor Jang, sitting Eun Soo back down and planting a hand firmly on her shoulder. "Then rest."

Eun Soo glanced up at Choi Young before continuing on, "I only told him that I had a headache. But I already know why. I'm just tired. I've spent many hours with Choi Young that I forgot to rest properly."

"I suggest that you follow Choi Young's words then," commented Doctor Jang, turning to face the two. "Lack of sleep won't bode well for you. You are Goryeo's High Doctor, if you are to fall even slightly ill.."

"I understand," interrupted Eun Soo, brushing aside Choi Young's hand. "I know I should sleep.. I simply forgot."

"I'm relieved to hear that," murmured Doctor Jang with a small smile. "I recommend good rest, but certain people tend to ignore my suggestions."

Choi Young ignored the doctor's statement, knowing very well who his words were directed to. Instead, he gazed down at Eun Soo, taking in the sight at long last. Dark bags were now very much visible beneath her eyes, which lacked the brightness and enthusiasm they used to carry on a daily basis.

"Doctor Jang," spoke Choi Young suddenly, glancing over at him. The doctor looked his way, clearly willing to listen to his words. "May I have a moment alone with the High Doctor?"

"Of course." Doctor Jang bowed his head before leaving the barracks.

After a couple more seconds of silence, he knelt down in front of Eun Soo. "You need to rest, imja," spoke Choi Young.

"Well, so do you," replied Eun Soo, folding her arms across her chest. "So you should take my advice first. I'll go to sleep, but I'll do so elsewhere."

"How will I know you'll follow Doctor Jang's suggestion?" responded Choi Young. "Perhaps we should take turns.."

"Why do you say that?" mumbled Eun Soo.

He stared blankly at her.

 _Always have to object.._

"Because you worry easily," he replied. "I am very well aware you're going to worry yourself. You will worry so much that you will forget to sleep."

"Then you sleep first!" she interjected, but he also denied her suggestion.

Choi Young sighed heavily. "But you are the one who needs rest the most at the moment. You are clearly tired…"

"Agh!" exclaimed Eun Soo, "Fine! Let's both sleep!"

Choi Young, in agreement, stood up and was ready to rest somewhere else in the room, preferably further from her when she grabbed onto his arm to stop him. He glanced over at Eun Soo, who with a slight pout, stared at him.

"You can sleep right here. Who knows, if I let you out of my sight, you might trick me," she mumbled.

Choi Young, humored by her request, complied with the very persistent Eun Soo.


End file.
